Connect: Sabin Elementary School

Have experiences or thoughts to share about Sabin?

Sabin Elementary School
PreK-7 (grwoing to 8 in 2009)
4013 NE 18th
Portland, OR 97212
503-916-6181
503-916-2669 fax
rschafer@pps.k12.or.us
http://www.sabin.pps.k12.or.us

Comments

[Janice]

Anyone with questions about Sabin? My son started there at the pre-k and is now in third grade. We love it. I won't pretend that it's a perfect school. There's definitely room for improvement. What human organization doesn't have room for improvement? But overall we are really, deeply satisfied with our school. Amazing teachers, great kids, wonderful sense of community, and my son is learning and thriving.

So if you have questions, please shoot me an email (janice at njohnson dot com). If I don't know the answer, I'll do my best to track it down for you.

[Janice]

p.s. We'll be adding eighth-graders next year (fall 2008).

[urbanMamas]

I would like to hear about the accelerated school for the highly gifted students in Portland, I think it is at Sabin's Elementary School?

I have an highly gifted three year old, and I am at a loss as to what to do with him. He is emotionally three but his intellect is that of a 6 year old. I would love to talk to other mom's who is dealing with similar challenges.

[Michelle]

We are thinking about Sabin as our son is very scientifically inclined, and we have heard that Sabin has a really great science program (we could not manage the commute to Winterhaven). I heard recently that this program might move--I would love to know more about it (the program and the potential it won't stay at Sabin)

Thanks!

[Janice]

am typing 1 handed b/c of sleeping child so sorry for typos

the program both Michelle and the other poster are asking about is the access program. it is housed in the sabin building and the access students receive instruction from the sabin art, pe, and library teachers. otherwise it is completely separate.

currently it has about 115 students in 1-8th grades. the long-term future with regard to building location, growth, grades served, etc., is somewhat uncertain. i don't think they will be at the sabin location for much longer b/c sabin is growing to serve 6-8th graders and needs more room.

the science instruction in the access program is remarkable, and i have a lot of respect for the teachers in the program. however, there has been a lot of dissension between some access parents and the teachers, the parents and the district, the parents and the neighborhood school. i yhink the program still needs to mature.

i would encourage parents of gifted children to investigate access alongside other options. my son attends sabin even though he qualifies to be in access. i think he's doing well and his teachers are good at challenging him. he's developing good social skills. i know that has been a probkem in access.

now all of this is just my experience. the access parents are well organized and vocal, so i expect some of them may respond with different viewpoints. or you might be able to contact them through http://www.accessalt.pps.k12.or.us/

[amy]

FYI- Sabin is having their PreK/Kindergarten Round-Up today. One was held this morning; there's another this evening @ 6PM. For more info, go to www.sabinschool.com.

[MelanieinOrygun]

ACCESS is a good program; my older daughter is in it and has been since the third grade (the first year ACCESS started; she's going on to the ACCESS high school program located at Grant next year).
Having said that, I have noted that there are a few issues with the program. Along with some of the things Janice noted, there is friction between the Sabin students and the ACCESS students; my daughter comes home with comments about attempts at bullying on both sides, Sabin and ACCESS, weekly.
My younger child is a student at Sabin, not ACCESS, though she qualifies for the program. However, after careful thought, I decided that she wasn't temperamentally suited to the ACCESS culture. She's a little more sensitive and enjoys mainstream education. She'll do better excelling in the mainstream with some added TAG curriculum.